The Wrong Road (1937)

Bank teller Jimmy Caldwell and his fiance, Ruth Holden, grow weary of struggling to make ends meet and decide to rob Jimmy's bank. The selfish young couple agree that even if they spend ten years in prison, it will not matter because they will have the money when they are released. During what appears to be a normal transaction, Jimmy gives Ruth $100,000 that he has taken from the vault, and after they hide the money in a music box, which they mail to Ruth's Uncle Billy for safekeeping, they turn themselves in. Mike Roberts, a detective for the bank's insurance company, tries to convince them to lighten their sentence by returning the money, but they consider the money rightfully theirs and refuse. The judge hearing their case is dismayed by their lack of repentance, and sentences them to one-to-ten years without parole. Jimmy and Ruth are then sent to separate prisons, but communicate by notes. Jimmy's tough cellmate, Blackie Clayton, tries to find out where the money is hidden, but Jimmy gives him misleading information. Sometime later, Roberts arranges for Jimmy and Ruth's paroles and attaches special stipulations that he hopes will make them go straight. The couple are paroled under the conditions that they have no civil rights and cannot marry for eight years. They are crushed by the conditions, but will not give in when Roberts tells them they will be free if they return the money. They try to retrieve the music box from Uncle Billy, but they discover that he has died and that his possessions are to be auctioned. They go to the auction, where they are outbid by auction aficionado Victor J. Holbrook, after which they go to Holbrook's apartment and explain that they need the box. Holbrook tells them he has already sent the box to his aunt, Martha Foster, and when Ruth and Jimmy return to their boardinghouse, they find Blackie waiting for them. He orders them to cut him in on the stolen money, but when Roberts appears, Blackie sneaks out after stealing their money and car. Jimmy and Ruth hop a train to Sunnydale, where Martha lives, and although they are detained by sheriff Ira Foster, Martha's husband, until they show their parole papers, they find Martha's guest farm, check in and locate the music box. After dinner, Roberts, alerted by Ira, shows up to warn Jimmy and Ruth that Blackie is close on their trail. Later that night, Blackie threatens Ruth that he will kill Jimmy unless she gives him the money. Jimmy and Ruth attempt to elude Blackie, but he soon catches up with them and fights with Jimmy. Ruth knocks Blackie out with the music box, after which Roberts appears on the scene. The beleaguered young couple give Roberts the money and determine to live an honest life, in which they will earn their happiness instead of stealing it.